Peter I Vanden Gheyn

For other uses, see Peter Vanden Gheyn (disambiguation).

In this Dutch name, the surname is Vanden Gheyn, not Gheyn.

Peter Vanden Gheyn (Dutch: Peeter Vanden Gheÿn or Dutch: Ghein; 1500–1561) was a bell-founder of the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium).

Life

Peter was the son of Willem van den Ghein, who established himself as a bellfounder at Mechelen in 1506. Peter followed his father into the trade, establishing his own foundry in 1528. His estate was known as De Swaene or De Swane.

He cast peal, table, and clock bells, but was most famed for the skill exhibited in his large bells. He is thought to have cast the bell of the Mary Rose. Another of his bells hangs at St Peter's College, Cambridge.

His two sons Peter and Jan both joined the family business.

References

Bibliography

• "Index to carillons and chimes by Vanden Gheyn", Tower Bells.
• "Matthias Vanden Gheyn et les fondeurs de cloches du nom de Vanden Gheyn", Le patrimoine de nos cloches et clochers, Tchorski. (in French)
• Haweis, Hugh Reginald (1882), "Weekly Evening Meeting, Friday, February 7, 1879. Bells", Notices of the Proceedings at the Meetings of the Members of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, with an Abstract of the Discourses Delivered at the Evening Meetings, Vol. IX. 1879–1881, London: William Clowes & Sons, pp. 99 ff.